A non-toxic aqueous pesticide to effectively control insects and parasites such as darkling beetles, lice, ticks, mites, flies, aphides, mosquitoes and chiggers.
Field of the Invention
Various parasites such as lice, ticks, mites, aphides and chiggers attack untreated and unprotected animals and plants. Poultry are particularly susceptible to parasitic infestations, both internal and external. If left uncontrolled, poultry diseases and parasites can result in reduced productivity and high mortality rates. Thus, effective management and sanitation practices, vaccination and medication are essential to prevent and control diseases and pests.
Where poultry is involved, the larvae of these pests attach to the wings and parts of the body injecting a poisonous substance that irritates the skin and causes itching. Such infestation is manifest in lesions observable when birds are dressed. This, of course, reduces the value of the poultry. Moreover, the young birds become droopy, refuse to eat and can die.
In the past, various oils have been used to control insects and mites. Recently, however, renewed attention has focused on the use of oils as a natural substitute for traditional insecticides with attendant toxic and other dangerous side effects.
These oils include horticultural oils which are highly refined petroleum products than can be mixed with water for application for control of target insect and mite pests without deleterious effects. Modern horticultural oils do not include vegetable, fish or whale oils.
Horticultural spray oils are the low toxicity alternative to broad spectrum insecticides. Since the mechanism of insect and mite control with spray oils is by suffocation and/or repellency of egg laying females, there is no requirement for the addition of toxic chemicals. These properties are a valuable and well recognized component of the practice of integrated pest management where oil spraying is intrinsically linked to natural control of pests by predators and parasitoids. Horticultural spray oils are formulated on highly refined clear oil with a minimum of nonionic surfactant. Independent environmental impact studies have shown that D-C-TRON has no detrimental effect on the environment. Mammalian toxicity studies published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine have shown that oils at this refinement level are non-toxic and non-carcinogenic.
Aqueous suspensions of malathion, stirofos, Ravap and carbaryl formulations (0.25 to 1.0 percent) have been tested as dips for control of the northern foul mite (NFM), Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago) on caged White Leghorn hens. Hens treated with Ravap showed symptoms of organophosphorus insecticide poisoning soon after treatment and some died as a result of the dip. However, dipping with the other insecticides did not result in any apparent toxic effects. Malathion was observed to provide residual control of mites for about 4 weeks post-treatment, but both stirofos and carbaryl dips gave complete control for at least 6 weeks against repeated challenges with the NFM. There were no significant differences in the percent hen-day egg production, feed consumption, or body weight of the hens that could be attributed to any of the chemical treatments.
Generally, oil sprays are safe to humans. These oil sprays have little, if any, negative effect on wildlife and non-target insects in the environment. Furthermore, oil sprays are less toxic due to the method by which they kill target pests. In particular, the thin film of oil covers the target insect or mite and plugs the spiracles or pores through which the pests or parasites breathe. The cause of death is primarily suffocation. Large, motile insects and animals that breathe by another method are not affected by these oils.
Another advantage of oil applications is the absence of objectionable odors. In addition, oils are relatively inexpensive and significantly less expensive than many insecticides.
Unfortunately, there are limitations to the use of oil treatments. For example, oils are only effective against those pests that are thoroughly coated by the spray solution. This usually means that only small, immobile or slow moving pests that are exposed on the surface of the poultry, animal or plant at the time of application will be controlled.
Since oil sprays only work by contracting and covering the target pest, thorough application is essential. Missed surface areas provide a safe refuge for the target pests.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,344 shows a hazard-free method for controlling insects using a non-toxic composition in the form of a fragrance and crystalline particles which puncture directly through the exoskeleton of an insect. In operation, the particles work themselves between the insect""s protective body plates and then puncture the exoskeleton permitting entry of the fragrance into the body of the insect. Once inside, the particles absorb up to four times their weight of the vital body fluids of the insect and the fragrance has a neural effect on the insect.
Thus, there remains a need for a non-toxic pesticide that can be effectively applied to the host to control or kill by contacting the target pests.
The present invention relates to a non-toxic aqueous pesticide and method for application on plants and animals comprising at least one surfactant and at least one high terpene containing natural oil to effectively control insects and parasites including lice, ticks, mites, aphides and chiggers.
High terpene containing natural oil as used herein means those natural oils having a terpene content of at least 50 percent. It is preferable that the high terpene natural oil contains at least 90 percent. Suitable high terpene containing natural oils includes oil from conifers such as citrus peel oils, preferably orange oil, grapefruit oil, lemon oil or pine oil. Of these, orange oil is the most preferred. Naturally, the amount of high terpene containing natural oils in the non-toxic aqueous pesticide will depend upon the amount of terpenes in the specific oil used.
The surfactant may comprise conventional surfactants such as anionic and nonionic surfactants. Preferred are anionic surfactants such as salts of fatty acids, alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether sulphonates and alkyl aryl sulphonates.
The non-toxic aqueous pesticide may also contain various additives such as antioxidants, preservatives, pH neutralizers and/or clarifiers.
Since the non-toxic aqueous pesticide is an aqueous composition, the balance of the non-toxic aqueous pesticide is water.
In use, the non-toxic aqueous pesticide is diluted and sprayed or misted on the host of from about 2 percent to about 6 percent solution but preferably about 4 percent solution, whether plant or animal, to contact the surface of the target pests. In some cases, repeated applications may be required.
When so applied, the non-toxic aqueous pesticide is effective in controlling darkling beetles, lice, ticks, mites, flies, aphides, mosquitoes and chiggers. The mechanism of insect and mite control with spray oils is believed to be by suffocation and/or the dissolving of the waxy layers of the insect""s exoskeleton. There is no requirement for the addition of toxic chemicals thereby causing an inbalance in the insect and/or parasites delicate body moisture balance. As such, the instant invention provides a virtually non-toxic alternative to broad spectrum insecticides.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.